04 December 2008

Gym Etiquette: Or Put your fucking weights away.

Letter to college athletes, and other lazy Wellness Center types who won't put their weights away.Dear sirs,

My question is this. How hard is it, really, to put away your weights when you are finished with your excersizes? Maybe you think you don't have enough time, or that you have been moving sooooo much weight that you couldn't possibly be bothered to do the courteous thing. But the simple fact is you do have time, and you are just utterly inconsiderate of others, possibly lazy and certainly morally inferior to the rest of us who do observe the etiquttes of a gym rat's life.

Don't worry about me I can move what you have left behind. Truth be told, you aren't all that strong, and the minute or two won't bother me too much, like it wouldn't have bothered you (I hasten to add). But there are people who use this facility who will have trouble moving your shit. Think about the older patrons of our establishment, and look around at the smaller folk. Why should anyone have to waste their time dealing with your mess? What are we, in fucking kindergarten? You are probably the reason why we don't have 100 lb plates at the leg press machine anymore.

Is it really so hard to display the tiniest bit of consideration? I don't think so. Nor can it be the case that you haven't a clue that putting away your weights is part of expected gym etiquette. There are signs aplenty. They all say, politely no less, "Please re-rack your weights." What part of that do you think ought not apply to you, and why? Please enlighten me, because I would really like to be privy to such mental gymnastics.

Look at the clutter in the back of the gym after a crowd and you will begin to see why it is important for people to put away their weights. Observe for a moment the old woman, who is herself looking at five hundred pounds on the leg press in defeat. Why should she have to clean up your mess? Observe for a moment, the guy looking around for a matching dumbell. Observe for a moment the closing desk worker as they go through the gym picking up all of your mess. Then ponder what appears to have been up to this point impentetrable to your mind. Consideration of consideration will do you some good, and save the rest of us time dealing with your lack of said quality.

Coaches might also try to instill some of this put your weights away business. The Wellness center is never more of a mess than after the baseball team, or the football team have been through (please athletes that do observe gym etiqutte, know that I am not writing about you here, or trying to denigrate all Earlham Athletes - just making an observation about a trend that I have noticed).

About Me

A biologist trapped in the mental health field. I am interested in Evolutionary biology, ecology and conservation. In addition to that, I am an active competitor in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (I am a purple belt under Marcello Monteiro, a third degree black belt under Ricardo De La Riva). I like hikeing, birdwatching, camping and all things outdoors.